Tim is delighted to be supporting this charity again this year, because he feels it is a poorly funded area, with its causes and treatment still not well understood.
This is a captivating song and a beautiful and intelligent exploration of why Christmas can still be meaningful even without religious beliefs. There’s just the right amount of sentiment and some very gentle humour illustrating Tim’s feelings about Christmas and the importance of family and home. It is a heart-warming song and may make you a little bright eyed.
The song can also be viewed on Tim’s YouTube Channel and this week he performed it live on Richard Bacon’s BBC 5 Live show. You can see that video here.
Emotional huh?
EDIT: In answer to some queries we’ve received: The proceeds from ALL legitimate downloads go to the NAS, including Amazon here.
The RSC has a limited allocation of tickets for the official opening night of Matilda, A Musical which they would like to offer to Tim Minchin fans.
Best available seats for just £10 (max of 2 tickets per transaction).
The performance takes place on Thursday 9 December at 5pm at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Please note that some seats may have a slightly restricted view at certain times during the performance.
To book please call the RSC Ticket Hotline on 0844 800 1114 and quote: “Matilda Opening Night Offer”.
This is the press night performance and the official opening night of the show, so a very exciting night to attend and this is a great opportunity to see the show at a fantastic price.
This offer requires that you phone the Ticket Hotline number above but you can book tickets for other shows online at the Matilda, A Musical website, where you’ll find lots of information, rehearsal blogs, games, videos and much more. Videos are also available through the RSC’s YouTube channel or the ‘Favourites’ section of Tim’s own YouTube channel.
Which character are you most looking forward to seeing brought to life before your very eyes?
Tomorrow morning, Tim will be valiantly encasing himself in warm, yet sheddable layers (studios can be very warm) and struggling through up to an inch of snow to appear on BBC Breakfast.
That’s BBC1, Thursday 2nd December 2010.
Despite it being the huskies day off and too early for the reindeer he should be on your screens, all snug on the couch, some time after 8.15am.
This is one of those occasions where it’s not too kinky to wonder what the handsome comedy rock superstar/fashion icon will be wearing first thing in the morning…
EDIT: If you missed this, the full interview has gone up on the BBC site here.
Erm, wait, hang on a mo; that doesn’t sound right…
Tomorrow Tim will be appearing on two radio shows for you to all listen in to.
Steve Wright in the Afternoon
BBC Radio 2 – 14:00 – 17:00 Listen live
Richard Bacon
BBC Radio 5 Live – 14:00 – 16:00 Listen live
Now, the eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed that both shows are on at the same time but considering they’re both broadcast from different places, how do you think Tim’s getting between the two? I like to imagine it’ll be on a sledge pulled by huskies…
Tim’s second, live UK DVD, Ready For This? is available on DVD, Blu-ray and iTunes from the 29th November 2010. That’s TODAY! Just in time to add it to your Christmas wish list or maybe you’re gifting it to someone you quite like, in some glittery wrapping paper. Oo shiny…
Ready For This? is now available to order or download, via various online retailers: Amazon, Play and iTunes. Angry (Feet), the official fansite, have compiled a handy list with the links for you. It can also be purchased from HMV, all major supermarkets and any half-decent high street retailer.
Many of you will already have the details below, from a previous blog, so what follows is a repeat for any new visitors today. We’ve put out the guest soap and towels too… (more…)
Last week Tim recorded an episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage a radio programme which takes a “witty and irreverent look at the world according to science”.
Episode 3: ‘Randomness’ airs on Monday, 16:30 on BBC Radio 4
Robin and Tim: Intense debate
Alex and Brian
The BBC blurb says:
“Physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are joined by the Australian comedian and musician Tim Minchin and mathematician Alex Bellos to discuss randomness, probability and chance. They look at whether coincidences are far more common than one might think and how a mathematical approach can make even the most unpredictable situations… well, predictable.”
Tim and Sasha Feachem, Producer of The Infinite Monkey Cage
Previous episodes of the programme are available as podcasts here.
Monday’s show will also become available as a podcast and on iPlayer here, once it airs, should you miss it.
The photos were taken, at the recording, at the Drill Hall, London by Vincent Connare. (http://twitter.com/VincentConnare) I only wish there was one of Tim putting a friendly headlock on Brian when they had a ‘difference of opinion’… A friendly hug for Sasha will have to suffice.
and there’s more:
Tim will be on The Chris Moyles Show, BBC Radio 1, Monday 29th November. The show is 06.30 – 10.00. Click here for the photo of Chris and Tim taken when Tim was last on the show in October 2009.
and
Richard Bacon , BBC Radio 5 Live, Tuesday 30th November. This show is 14:00 – 16:00.
Both will be available on BBC iPlayer shortly after they air.
Look out for more radio interviews coming up soon.
This one’s mainly for the students and the unemployed of the UK!
Tomorrow, Tim will be appearing on The Wright Stuff on Channel Five (and Channel Five HD [yes, it exists]) at 9:15am. If that’s too early for you, well there’s a repeat on Fiver at 11am if you have a fancy digital telly with Freeview.
He will be joined by the week’s panelists Hardeep Singh Kohli (chef and broadcaster) and Tracy-Ann Oberman (her off of the series two Doctor Who finale).
For those not in the know, The Wright Stuff is a ‘topical debate show’ so, just out of curiosity, aside from the royal wedding, what would you like to see discussed on the show?
Tim was interviewed for How Roald Dahl Shaped Pop,a documentary about Roald Dahl’s influence on pop music, narrated by David Tennant, with contributions from Kate Nash and Kelly Jones of the Stereophonics.
It will air at 10pm this evening, 22nd November on Radio 2.
In the meantime here’s Miss Trunchbull *gulp* to tell you about RULES in this wonderful new trailer for Matilda:
Anybody start dancing in their chairs to the last few bars at the end of that? Huh?…oh neither did I… in fact my shoulders and elbows never moved and my head didn’t tilt once…
You can book tickets for the show via the Matilda A Musical website, where you’ll find lots of information, rehearsal blogs, games, videos and much more. This video and more are also available through the RSC’s YouTube channel or the ‘Favourites’ section of Tim’s own YouTube channel.
We’ve heard a lot of people saying how they’ve “missed out” on tickets to see Tim on his magnificent UK orchestra arena tour this year. Well we’ve got some good news for you: you haven’t!
If you’ve been seeing “Sold out” or “Tickets unavailable” on ticketing websites that’s simply because that particular company doesn’t have any of their ticket allocation left, but there are plenty out there that still do! In fact, we’ve put together a nice list of links from where you can still buy tickets, to make your purchasing a lot less painful!
And if none of these links are providing you with the tickets you seek, ring the venue’s box office (phone numbers are on the gigs page) and they should be able to point you in the direction of some!
If you have, feel free to give yourself a pat on the back. Please enjoy the trailer below as your reward.
If you haven’t, why not? It’s out a week on Monday! Oh, it’s because you haven’t seen enough teasers, is it? Well the trailer below might just whet your appetite enough to go and order it then.
Terry Stiasny recorded a piece about Matilda, A Musical last week and it is scheduled to go out today, Weds 17 November at 5pm on the PM Programme – Radio 4. There is no mention of it on that BBC site as yet but you’ll be able to listen live via that link, if you wish, or later using iPlayer, once it’s aired, if you miss it or wish to confirm the item was included before tuning in.
EDIT: Our apologies: This item was re-scheduled at the last minute (how very dare they!) and is now due to air on the PM Programme tomorrow Thursday 18th November, at the same time and will therefore be available on iPlayer after that. (I’d say “fingers crossed” but we don’t hold with all that around these parts do we? Anyway it’s damned uncomfortable!)
In addition to that, according to a BBC Press Office release, Tim will be interviewed about Matilda, A Musical by Claudia Winkleman, during The New Radio 2 Arts Show on Friday 19th November at 10pm.
The BBC Press Office says: “Claudia also speaks to Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin. Tim has written the music and lyrics to Matilda: A Musical, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s forthcoming production of Roald Dahl’s magical story about a little girl with extraordinary powers; a favourite novel for children across the world since it was first published in 1988.”
There has already been a great response to the show, which began previewing last week, on the 9th November, with many loving it so much that they immediately booked to see it again! Later today the RSC will be adding some vox pops, recorded with audience members as they left the theatre,to the Matilda A Musical website. EDIT: The direct link to these vids is here.
As part of the preparation for his upcoming Arena Orchestra Tour Tim will be performing two intimate warm up gigs at The Junction, Cambridge on the 23rd and 24th of November 2010.
Tickets are £15.00 and can be booked via the Box Office on: 01223 511 511 or here via The Junction Website.
This is an opportunity to see Tim perform his brand new songs and some of our old favourites with his band: Pete and Brad – obviously chosen for their looks as well as their musicianship…
So, Universal launched a competition earlier for people to make trailers for the forthcoming UK release of ‘Ready For This?’ on DVD and Blu-ray. Well the time has come to announce the winner as chosen by Tim, from the three videos with the most views!
And the winner is Victoria Crewe-Turrell who won with this fabulous entry!
Tim has narrated a 15 minute animated short film, by Shaun Tan and Passion Pictures Australia, called The Lost Thing. It is based on the acclaimed picture book by multi award winning author and illustrator Shaun Tan. It is a modern fable about a boy who discovers a bizarre looking creature on the beach. He realises that is is lost and tries to find out where it belongs or who owns it, only to be met with indifference from everyone else. A synopsis, trailer and more about the book, film directors, cast and crew can be found here.
The Lost Thing will be available, in Australia, 10th November 2010 via Madman. The DVD is region free, however, so it can be played on PAL-compatible DVD players worldwide.
A few videos for your enjoyment: Interspersed with short clips from the film, Shaun Tan talks about his story, the themes and the creation of the film. In the first he talks about Tim, as the narrator, with footage of Tim during a voice record session.
The Lost Thing has already won a string of awards:
Annecy Int. Animation Festival (France, June 2010): The Annecy Crystal (Best Short Film) * Sydney Film Festival (Australia, June 2010): Yoram Gross Animation Award* Palm Springs Int. Festival of Short Films (USA, June 2010): Second Place for Best Animated Short Anima Mundi (Brazil, July 2010): Best Soundtrack Melbourne Int. Film Festival (Australia, July/Aug. 2010): Grand Prix for Best Short* Australian Effects and Animation Festival (Australia, August 2010) : Best Short Film
2010 Qantm Desktop CREATE:Awards (Australia, September 2010) : Creative of the Year, and Best Animation Image en Vues (Canada/Qubec, October 2010): Winner Best Film by the Public Anaheim International Film Festival (USA, October 2010): Best Animation Short Film Australian Screen Sound Guild Award (Australia, October 2010) for “Best Achievement in Sound in an Animated Film”. ANIMACOR 2010 International Short Film Competition (Spain, November 2010) FIRST PRIZE and also the THE SPECIAL AWARD OF CHILDREN TO THE BEST SHORT FILM Austin Film Festival (USA, November 2010) – Animated Short Jury Award Chicago International Childrens Film Festival (USA, November 2010) – 1st Prize Animated Short & Best Film By an Emerging Director. Screen Music Awards (Australia, November 2010): Best Music in a Short Film
*Academy Accredited Awards
Samsung AFI (Australian Film Institute) Nomination: Best Animated Short Film
(Australian Film Institute (Australia, awards announced December 2010) Inside Film Awards Nomination (Australia, September 2010): Best Animated Short Film Academy Awards (2011) (Oscar) Nomination: Best Animated Short Film
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